AquaPLAN will quantify the combined impacts of Light and Noise Pollution (LNP) on aquatic biodiversity in European waters and facilitate the implementation of empirically sound strategies for managing these pollutants through novel interdisciplinary approaches.
Programme:
Horizon Europe (Call Topic: HORIZON-CL6-2023-BIODIV-01-2)
Type of Action:
Research and Innovation Action
Duration:
Consortium:
13 participants from 9 countries
Coordinator:
Budget:
The Challenge
Recent decades have seen a dramatic increase in our understanding of light and noise pollution (LNP) impacts on aquatic biodiversity.
A broad range of species are known to be impacted by either pollutant, which are globally widespread and occurring in all aquatic ecosystems from rivers and lakes to the seafloor. However, critical knowledge gaps still exist, a comprehensive overview of our understanding of LNP impacts in marine, freshwater and estuarine ecosystems is lacking, combined LNP impacts have been explored only conceptually and research effort on LNP varies among aquatic habitats.

Objectives
AquaPLAN will quantify the combined impacts of LNP on aquatic biodiversity in European marine, freshwater and estuarine ecosystems, substantially improving our understanding of LNP prevalence, impacts and our ability to manage them.
Objective 1
Provide a comprehensive review of the state of the art on the impacts of light and noise (LNP) on aquatic biodiversity in tandem with other global change stressors.
Objective 2
Assess the current state of perception by regulatory bodies, local and regional decision makers of LNP impacts and the need for their management.
Objective 3
Quantify the combined impacts of LNP on the conservation status of biodiversity in aquatic habitats.
Objective 4
Identify the mechanisms leading to individual and combined impacts of LNP on aquatic biodiversity.
Objective 5
Explore innovative measures and interdisciplinary solutions to prevent and mitigate LNP impacts on aquatic biodiversity.
Objective 6
Build an international and interdisciplinary networking and cooperative capacity to assess, prevent and mitigate the combined impacts of LNP for biodiversity conservation.
Expected Results
- Overview of light and noise pollution (LNP) impacts on aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem services
- Combined impacts of LNP quantified in six aquatic ecosystems
- Critical decision support tools (maps and algorithms) made available to policy makers and environmental managers to assess the occurrence, impacts and management of LNP
- Harmonised monitoring protocols (for measuring LNP, monitoring and manipulating their combined impacts) produced through collaborations between physical and natural experts on LNP
- Long-term ecological monitoring programmes capable of capturing the emerging impacts of LNP on aquatic biodiversity
- Improved awareness of LNP across the general public

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